


I kept on living... to find you again

by pandacheeze



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, Reincarnation, Reunion, bucketload of feels, they get to live together after all :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 15:12:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12135180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandacheeze/pseuds/pandacheeze
Summary: While enjoying his morning coffee, Law sees a photo listing of children at the local orphanage near his hospital.He spots a blond boy with amber eyes and a toothy grin that matches the one etched on his heart.





	I kept on living... to find you again

**Author's Note:**

> Prepare some tissues!

 

"He's a shy and quiet boy. The most well-behaved one under our care, I dare say. And--"

The head of the orphanage pauses speaking to give Law some papers, which he accepts without so much as a glance. The three staff flanking both of the tall surgeon's sides have to practically jog to keep up with his long strides.

"--here are his blood test results which guarantee that he's clean and healthy, Dr. Trafalgar."

Law doesn't even care if the boy has goddamn Ebola. He can cure almost every kind of disease since he perfected his Ope Ope no Mi abilities. Right now he just wants to get to the canteen as soon as possible to see this boy with his own eyes. Earlier, the headmaster suggested that Law meet the boy after breakfast (probably so the staff can tidy up his appearance to boost his chance of adoption) but Law just _could not_ wait.

A couple of years ago, Strawhat-ya beat him and Eustass-ya to finding One Piece. Having lost the Pirate King contest, Law was stripped of his very last reason to stay at sea and decided to dust off his childhood dream of following in his parents' footsteps. He disbanded his crew, thus ending their life as adventurous pirates, but most of them simply had no loved ones to return to and would rather stick with their leader.

After browsing the maps for an island where he could put down roots, Law picked a cozy town in North Blue. They took their final underwater trip to their destination before auctioning off the Polar Tang for a handsome profit. Law confidently set a high starting price and the bidders aggressively competed against each other in order to add the vessel of a real warlord (albeit a former one) to their personal collection. The proceeds from selling the submarine combined with the riches that the group had looted throughout their pirate career were more than enough to renovate and refurbish a closed-down hospital as well as the adjacent nurse dormitory where they took up residence. Of course, Law got a customized suite all to himself.

Upon the hospital's first day of operation, they were welcomed with a long line of people who hailed them as a godsend because when the previous hospital owner died, all the directionless employees moved to work elsewhere, leaving this place with no medical practitioners at all (the recently retired apothecary barely counted). It was a situation that Law was already aware of, hence his decision to settle down here and help those in need.

Apart from managing the hospital, Law handles the most severe cases of surgery or emergencies while some members with surgical expertise are assigned minor surgeries. Three members can perform dentistry. Others like Shachi and Penguin who have gained immense experience from working so closely with Law throughout the years help make basic diagnoses and prescriptions. The rest serve as nurses and patient reception functions (children absolutely  _adore_ Bepo).

One day, while sipping his morning coffee and flipping through the local newspaper, Law finds an entire page consisting of photos of children. ' **Adopt today, change a life forever!'** reads the headline of the ad posted by the town's orphanage. Uninterested, Law pinches the edge of the paper, intending the turn to the next page...

 

...but then he sees _him._

 

Right above where Law's thumb is pressed against the colored paper, there's a photo of a skinny boy with a mop of golden fringes that almost reach his amber eyes, the corner of which are crinkled due to his cheery beam. The boy's bright expression awaken memories that have been laying at the bottom of Law's heart, stirring up a mélange of shining smiles, tender touches, and warm whispers. The face reminds Law of someone in his childhood who was as radiant as the sun. The blaring beacon that led him though the most horrendous months of his existence. The black-winged angel who traded his own life to save Law's.

 

Returning from his trip down memory lane, it takes Law a moment to realize that fat drops of tears are falling from his eyes. He blinks a few times before refocusing on the photo that managed to evoke such profound feelings from him.

The scientific side in Law thinks that it's impossible. Dead people stay dead, no matter how much you pray. But his emotional side is happy beyond words, screaming out his savior's name with joy.

 _It's him!,_ Law's very heart tells him.  _That's Cora-san! What are you waiting for? Go to him. GO!!_

Before he knows what he's doing, Law's feet take him out of the dining room to their dormitory's doors. His friends ask him where he's going in such a hurry. He says he'll explain later, and please postpone Mrs. Julie's double mastectomy for a few of hours.

Law trots the path from his hospital complex to the orphanage, going through the marketplace first. The shoppers greet him good-naturedly along the way, not forgetting to thank the surgeon for carrying out that life-saving operation on them / their aunt / etc. Law throws them small smiles and curt nods, never slowing down his pace.

His arrival at the orphanage causes quite a commotion. Given that he has become somewhat of a popular figure among the townspeople as the 'miracle doctor', they tend to treat him with privilege.

"There's no need for a fancy reception," he assures the overly excited front staff and holds out his crumpled newspaper. "I'm just here to see this boy."

One of the senior staff adjusts her progressive glasses to look at the photo that Law's pointing at. Despite Law's request for normality, she ushers him to a plush armchair while another receptionist calls who Law presumes is the head of the orphanage.

The guy soon arrives with the boy's profile in hand. Law springs to his feet and almost has to order the headmaster and his entourage to kindly lead the way to where the boy is this instant, insisting that they can give whatever information about him while they walk.

So now as the staff compliment thirteen-year-old 'Dillan' for his excellent academic record and impeccable manners, Law lets the hum of words flow through his ears. He peers at each blond little boy who passes them by, hoping that one of them is _him_ but gets disappointed each time. The children in the hallways sidestep the group of yammering adults and stare at Law in awe because he's probably the tallest man they've ever seen.

Finally, they enter a big canteen full of kids enjoying their breakfast. There are many blondes around so the staff have to call out Dillan's name to identify him. One boy raises his hand, and upon laying eyes on Dillan, Law feels like the world has stopped turning.

If the appearance weren't convincing enough, Dillan is eating _lettuce salad_ for breakfast instead of cereal or sandwiches like other kids.

Lettuce was Cora-san's favorite food, too.

While Law stands dazed on the spot, the staff rush to Dillan to help wipe his mouth and smoothen his shirt. _This gentleman's name is Dr. Trafalgar. Remember the greeting words!,_ they instruct him in a hushed tone, and he nods docilely.

Dillan steps up to Law in a meek manner with his eyes fixed on the floor. He starts talking the same moment he raises his face.

"Hello, Dr. Trafalgar..."

When their eyes meet, Dillan's breath hitches. His eyes flicker left and right, as if he's seeing visions in his mind, similar to what Law had experienced this morning.

"L-Law?" the boy stutters confusedly, and it's the surgeon's turn to gasp. He hears the headmaster demanding to know who told Dillan to call Dr. Trafalgar by his given name but his two assistants deny fervently.

The ex-pirate hunkers down on one knee so Dillan doesn't have to crane his neck way back.

"Do you remember?" he asks the kid, trying his best to keep his voice steady. It's a neutral question that does not give any hints away. This is the moment of truth that will prove whether Law's intuition is accurate.

Dillan flexes his fingers nervously before opening his mouth.

 

"I remember lots of feathers."

 

Law swallows a lump in his throat before further prompting, "Anything else?"

 

"A heart-shaped fruit."

 

The corner of Law's lips start to quiver.

 

"And a giant bird cage in the sky?"

 

Oh god, here come the waterworks.

 

"Cold snow e-everywhere, especially against my back."

 

Some noise akin to a whimper escapes Law's lips.

 

"Our promise... you and me... t-together?" Dillan sobs incoherently, having broken into tears as well.

 

And Law can't take it anymore. He pulls the boy into an embrace with each resting their chin on the other's shoulder, left chests aligned so they can feel their beating hearts. The emotions that Law had bottled up since the day his most precious person passed away resurface all at once, like a cathartic deluge washing away the silent pain that he's endured for over a decade.

 

This is real.

 

Cora-san is real.

 

 _Dillan_ is real.  

 

Law tightens their hug, wanting to feel every tremble and heaving breath that the boy takes as they both cry into each other's shoulder.

At this point, everyone around them must be wondering what the hell is going on. Law doesn't care. Let them think that they're long lost kin or shit like that. One thing for sure is that he's taking Dillan back with him today. To hell with the procedural paperwork. He could always bribe the head of the orphanage with a free annual checkup package.

Then Law unwinds his arms from the thin frame and wipes the snot and salty streaks from Dillan's face.

"Let's go home..." Law chokes out, taking the boy's hands into his bigger ones and planting a kiss on them, the fair, supple skin contrasting with his own darker, coarsened skin.

 

" _...mi Corazón._ " 

 

 


End file.
